Has Las Vegas spent our tax dollars improving Historic Westside? Check this out!

[@MichaelCentalonza]

Thank you Vegas Don

[@vegasdon]

Thank you, my brother!

[@711vegas]

711 here. There have been many fires in the Historic Westside over the years that have resulted in many vacant lots. Also, when residents do not pay their taxes or trash bill, their property gets foreclosed. The city of Las Vegas is the biggest landowner in Historic Westside. The Clark County Assessor’s Office revealed that the City of Las Vegas owns at least 25 vacant lots on 17 different parcels. The city also demolishes buildings that are left vacant. This information is from a 2021 Nevada Current WEB site.

[@vegasdon]

Goodness, that's wild, Brother

[@711vegas]

711 here the park you passed on B Street is the James Author Gay III Park. This park was closed in 2013 due to crime and homeless encampments. The Park has reopened with a new name, James Gay III Park. The park is named for James Author Gay III who played a key role in the desegregating of the Las Vegas Strip in the 1960s. Among other things in the park there are two 40-foot shipping containers that were provided by the Urban Farm that can grow produce, house plants, and flowers year-round.

[@vegasdon]

Which is an amazing idea nowadays given grocery prices

[@711vegas]

711 here. J T McWilliams never recouped his loses when his townsite was abandoned. The Historic Westside is on the land that would have become the original location of Las Vegas. In 1905 J T McWilliams purchase 80 acres from Helen Stewart without water rights. He subdivided the land into 3,000 lots, and the area was named the McWilliams Townsite. The McWilliams Townsite failed due to scarcity of water and fell into disrepair when most of the residents abandoned McWilliams Townsite and purchased lots in the Clark’s Las Vegas Townsite that came with water. Clark’s Las Vegas Townsite eventually became the City of Las Vegas. Sadly, most of McWilliams Townsite was destroyed by a fire. This area was known by several names Rag Town, Old Town, and eventually the Westside because it was on the westside of the San Pedro Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad tracks while Clark’s Las Vegas Townsite was on the eastside of the railroad tracks. The Westside found new life with housing workers during the construction of Boulder Dam. The Westside also became the home of African Americans when they were forced to move to this area back in the Jim Crow segregation era. During the Jim Crow segregation era, the Westside was only location in Las Vegas where African Americans were allowed to own property, own a business, or go to a public school. J T McWilliams original house was destroyed when Interstate 15 was constructed through Las Vegas.

[@vegasdon]

A sad tale, indeed, my brother